This Cheesy Baked Spaghetti Casserole layers cooked spaghetti with a hearty meat sauce made from ground beef and Italian sausage, then tops it with a rich, creamy cheese mixture before baking until golden and bubbly. It's a make-ahead casserole that feeds a crowd and reheats beautifully.
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Cook spaghetti in salted, boiling water according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground beef and Italian sausage, breaking it up until browned. Drain the excess grease.
Return the meat to the skillet and stir in the minced garlic, dried minced onion, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
Pour in most of the marinara sauce (reserving about 1 cup) and the water. Stir to combine and let it simmer for about 10 minutes.
In a separate bowl, mix together the softened cream cheese, cottage cheese, 1 cup of mozzarella, 1/2 cup of cheddar, and a pinch of salt and pepper until well combined.
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
In the prepared baking dish, combine the cooked spaghetti with the reserved 1 cup of marinara sauce, 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese, and the olive oil. Toss to coat and spread into an even layer.
Spread the meat sauce mixture evenly over the spaghetti layer.
Dollop the cream cheese mixture over the meat sauce and carefully spread it into an even layer.
Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella and 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese over the top.
Spray a sheet of aluminum foil with cooking spray and cover the baking dish tightly.
Bake covered for 30 minutes. Then, remove the foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.
Let it rest for a few minutes before garnishing with fresh basil, slicing, and serving.
Cool completely, cover tightly, and refrigerate up to 4 days. Reheat covered at 350°F for 20–25 minutes until heated through, or microwave individual portions.
9x13-inch baking dish · Large skillet or Dutch oven
Yes. Assemble the casserole up to 24 hours ahead, cover, refrigerate, then bake. Add 10–15 minutes to baking time if baking from cold.
This casserole combines cooked spaghetti with meat sauce and a creamy cheese layer, then bakes everything together for a unified, rich dish. Regular spaghetti is sauce over pasta.
Yes, use 2 lbs ground beef. You'll lose the subtle Italian sausage flavor, so consider adding 1/2 tsp fennel seeds to the meat to compensate.
The cheese topping should be golden and bubbly around the edges, and the internal temperature at the center should reach 160°F. Bake 30–40 minutes depending on your oven.
Yes. Cool completely, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil, and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and bake, or bake from frozen and add 20–30 minutes to baking time.
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